Earth boring machine



May 18, 1943 A. J. PARRISH EARTH sonme MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 30. 1940 A. J. PARRISH EARTH aonme momma:

Filed July so, 1940 May 18, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 18, 1943 A. J. PARRISH EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed July 30, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 3 m Aha c/a'yj arrzisk I M y 8, 1943 A. J. PARRISH 5 5 EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed July 36, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Z9 59' Z3 Z9 Patented May 18, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARTH BORING MACHINE Alan Jay Parrish, Paris, Ill. Application July so, 1940, Serial No. 348,577 7 Claims, (01. 255-20) This invention relates to earth boring machines and more particularly to machines of the horizontal type for eflecting accuratelateral borings beneath the ground and under existing structures wherever such boring operations are necessary.

The practices of trenching and tunneling usually employed in laying pipes, culverts and drains under existing structures is expensive and results in disturbing the normal impacted conditions of the soil underlying the structures because these methods include the steps of excavation, pipe laying and subsequent filling. The boring of laterals by horizontal earth boring machines has been resorted to but considerable-difficulty has been experienced in these operations in obtaining accurate borings under all ground conditions. Tool breakage has been great and it has been the practice, when using angers drilling in clay, muck or the like, to repeatedly back ofi the tool to clear the same of the plug which packs around the tool. Machines having positive or automatic feed mechanism have excessive sudden loads thrown on them when encountering ground conditions affording great resistance resulting in tool or machine breakage.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of a portable boring machine organization which can be used under all ground conditions and without tool breakage for installing pipes beneath existing structures including pavements, railway embankments and the like, and for making accurate'point to point borings.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved boring machine organization which, due to its cooperating structural features. and hand feed mechanism of greater mechanical advantage, may be easily advanced or retracted in drilling operations to permit increased continuous drilling range through clay, shale or rocky conditions.

Other objects include the'economical production of a light weight simplified horizontal boring machine capableof heavy duty; the provision of a machine with improved hand feed mechanism and novel means of adjustment for controlled.

angle drilling; and the provision of a machine having a low center of weight with centralized specification. Like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an earth boring machine in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the detachable boring tool guide.

Figure 6 is an end view partly in section illustrating a modified form of boring unit and supporting base structure.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line l-l of Fig. 6.

With particular reference to the embodiment of invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings, l represents a base support vertically adjustable at one of its ends to provide for boring operations inclined from the horizontal. The base support comprises two longitudinally extending spaced parallel channel members 3 and 4, defining, with their inwardly directed flange portions, a trackway in which a wheeled carriage of a boring unit may be confined against movement other than a free rolling one longitudinally oi the channel trackway. Cross members 5 and 6 underlying the ends of the channel members and suitably fastened thereto, preferably by welding, serve to complete the base frame and tie the channel memberstogether in their parallel relationship. Cross ties 1 and 8 may be employed to further strengthen the brake frame. Spacer blocks 9 may be interposed between the ends of cross tie members and the channel members to provide clearance for depending flanges on the wheels of the boring --unit carriage so as to permit free rolling movement of the carriage lengthwise of the base support. Jack screws 10 having screw-threaded ,connection through nuts II welded to the end .cross members provide for vertical adjustment of one end of the base for-boring operations inclined from the horizontal.

Suitable pinion engaging means are provided at the upper flange portions of the channel members to cooperate with spaced pinions of a boring unit feed mechanism later to be described.

alignment for engagement with driven pinions M on opposite sides of the boring unit. While 1 the racks for the pinions may be formed by aperturing the channel flanges or by forming the rack teeth integral therewith, the detachable sectionalized rack bars minimize the maintenance and repair expense incident to wear and breakage.

The base channel members are provided at end portions with apertures through the upper flanges adapted to register with apertures in the ends of a detachable auxiliary auger guide l5. Anchor pins IT or other suitable fastenings passing through the registering apertures may be employed to fix the base and guide assembly.

The auxiliary auger guide comprises the bridging channel frame [6 arranged to overlie the base at its ends. The frame carries centrally thereof the split auger guide sleeve I8 comprising upper and lower members l9 and 20. The upper member is preferably formed integral with frame l by welding the sleeve member in a central recess of the frame. The lower member is likewise made integral with bracket 2| pivotally connected at one end with frame I6 and detachably connected at the other end with the frame by pin 22 removably inserted through registering apertures in the frame I6 and the free end of the bracket. The sleeve l8 may constitute a guide for an auger of proper size or it may carry therewithin for small augers a concentric reducer sleeve 23. The arrangement is such as to provide for removal of the guide from the auger at any time during a drilling operation. The guide sleeve, when connected with the channel base, is so arranged as to'be coaxial with the driving chuck of an earth boring unit en-. gaged within the channel trackway so as to receive therethrough with slight clearance the anger of the boring unit.

The boring unit includes a wheeled carriage portion having a main frame 24 formed of end angle members 25 and side angle members 26. These angle members are suitably fastened together preferably by electric welding to form an integral base frame having depending side and inwardly directed top flanges. The carriage is supported for rolling movement on four flanged wheels 21 mounted outside the base frame at the sides thereof on axles 28 extending transversely of the frame in tubular bearing supports 29 secured at their ends to the side angle mem bers of the frame. The transverse spacing of the wheels is such that the wheeled carriage may 'be engaged within the channel trackway of the base for longitudinal movement therein or may be rolled clear of the base to facilitate handling and transportation of the machine.

Roller bearings are mounted in alignment in.

the bearing housings 3!] supported centrally of the end members of the carriage frame and accommodate for rotation therein an earth boring tool drive shaft 3! which is provided with an extension beyond the front bearing to accommodate a chuck and flexible coupling 32 and has fixed thereto intermediate the bearings a large chain sprocket 33, associated with a driving chain 34 of a power transmission mechanism hereinafter described.

. A pinion shaft 35 is journaled at opposite sides of the carriage in bearings 36 and carries at each end a pinion M for engagement with the longitudinally extending rack bars on the channel base. The bearings are detachably associated with bearing supports 38 mounted on the carriage 7 frame and are lubricated by grease cups 39. The

bearing supportshave their ends directed outwardly from the carriage frame for extension under the top flanges of the base frame close F to the surface thereof and assist in maintaining the carriage in alignment under any forces tending to lift its ends. The supports are arched in their central portions to provide mounting clearance for the transverse shaft and pinions above the main base. The pinion shaft forming part of the machine feed is positioned above the boring unit drive shaft at the rear of the sprocket and extends across the carriage on substantially its transverse center line. This provides for feed connection with the base at substantially the balance or center line of the units. The shaft is arranged to be rotated by a chain sprocket 40 keyed or otherwise fixed thereon adjacent one of the bearings. A conventional thrust collar 4| is mounted on the shaft adjacent the other bearing.

The sprocket 33 is rotated by separate power transmission connections supported above the carriage on angle uprights 42, four in number, suitably fastened as by welding at their lower ends to the carriage frame. The upper ends of the angle uprights are welded in pairs to spaced cross angle member 43 which detachably support aligned bearings 44 and 45. A shaft 46, journaled in the bearings, has its ends extended beyond the bearings, the shaft ends being arranged for detachable connection with hand cranks if manual operation is desired. A large sprocket 41 and a smaller sprocket 48 are affixed to the shaft intermediate the bearings and the spaced pairs of upright angle supports.

A power shaft 49 parallel to shaft 46 is journaled in bearings 50 and 5| supported on transverse angle members 52-53 welded or otherwise fastened to the angle uprights. The power shaft is arranged at one end for driving connection with a flexible shaft 54 which may extend to the machine from any suitable source of driving power. A drive sprocket 55 fixed to power shaft 49 in alignment with the larger sprocket 4'! serves to drive chain 55 to effect operation of the boring machine. The smaller sprocket 48 on shaft 46 is aligned with the large sprocket 33 on the boring tool drive shaft and drives the latter through sprocket chain 34.

The machine is provided with a manually operated feed device including a feed drive shaft 58 journaled in bearings 59 detachably supported on the front pair of angle uprights. The shaft is extended at one end and has mounted thereon, a hand crank 60 and a drive pinion 6| aligned with the driven pinion 45 and interconnected therewith by the sprocket chain 62.

Connection between the boring tool driving shaft and the boring auger 53 is effected by the combined chuck and flexible coupling 32. This chuck coupling consists of two sprockets 64 and 65 and an encircling double roller chain 66 en-- gaging both sprockets. A small clearance between the sprockets and chain side plates allows freedom of movement to provide adjustment for angular misalignment of shafts. The sprocket 54 is provided with an elongated hub portion drilled to accommodate the boring unit drive shaft. The sprocket 55 is provided with an extended hub having a socket for accommodation of the shank of the auger 53 and a reduced diameter end portion adapted to provide seating engagement for a pipe supporting and engaging collar 68 provided with a set screw for fastening it to the end of the chuck for rotation therewith. The hub of sprocket 65 and the shank of the boring tool are provided with transverse bores adapted to register and receive therein a sheer annular recess ward or leading end a" extending cutting teeth or prongs throughout thelength sections,- except at their forward or leading ends,

'with the forward rotating when drillingin clay and othersoils, to limit the pin 89 which is designed with sunicient strength to carry normal boring and drilling loads but so as to break under dangerous loads to avoid The chuck coube quickly taken apart by simply re moving the chain connecting link which allows the chain to be lifted from the sprockets. The removal of the chain completely separates the parts. H

The collar 68 may be fixed to rotate with the pling may chuck by tightening the set screw or it may be freed by looseningIthe screw. This collar has a central sleeve extension and a peripheral flange provided'with an annular groove having an outer sloping wall for receiving the end of a sheet metal pipe. The central sleeve portion is arthe pipe in supporting tendsto force the wall inwardly against the sleeve portion and prevents spreading. The collar'is employed for rotating sheet metal pipe supported position in the ground in prebored holes or during boring operations.

The boring element or anger 83 has at its forforwardly and outwardly The structure may comprise a plurality of substantially duplicate auger sections successively joined together in the course of an extended drilling operation with the leading section detachably associated at its forward end with the head iii. auger sections have spiral blades 63! which are cut away or are made discontinuous so as to provide a series of spaced spiral flights of the auger. The flight bit "Hi provided with than that of the sections are edges and are up to substantially the same that of the bits of the cutter head so as to provide supplemental or secondary raised reaming cutter bars at the head of each flight section. The raised cutter bars may be ll of the flight sections but generally the cutter bars may be omitted from flight sections rearwardly of the leading ones on each auger section.

The use of the secondary cutter bars at the leading end of the auger section eliminates the packing of dirt from the true auger section and produces a cleanl cut hole to the full diameter of the bit head. Furthermore, the objectionable torque build up due to packing of dirt about the auger is overcome, thus materially increasing the drilling distance for earth boring machines. In removing the boring tools when the desired depth of hole is reached, the secondary cutters keep removing all surplus dirt to the full'diameter relieving the tendency to pack and speeding up materially the process of removing angers. removal of conventional types of augers, dependent upon the larger head being pulled backward feet, the surplus build up had to the cutter head and became the ming and sticking drills even after the hole had been bored. This is completely eliminated by the improved auger structure.

removed by tween adjacent spiral blade portions function,

therewith and prevents collapse of- The In the mcvernent still in ef-' through walls The broken spiral flights affording spaces besucceeding separate sections as the ment of the boring unit carriage packing and plug formation which usually results in such'drilling operations. Continuous drilling is made possible in clay and the like by merely adding auger sections without removing the entering parts of the tool for cleaning. is avoids the difficulty heretofore encountered with conventional auger structures which pack and plug in a cumulative manner so as to make it necessary to frequently back off the tool for The plug of dirt which has form at the leading end of the tool flight interruption and is further severed by the dirt is passed toward the rear of the boring tool. The load factor is thus materially decreased and in clay drilling it is found that the plug which otheris actually removed from the hole in small cut lumps which progress rearwardly without putting a severe load on the boring machine or tool.

' The overall diameter of the auger is determined by the sizeof the bore to be made and the auger guide sleeve presents a clearance between the inner surface of the sleeve and the auger which affords free operation but avoids deflection of the auger in its progression into the ground. The machine performs accurately and satisfactorily in shale, strip mine use, and under other adverse conditions which usually present boring difficulties and serious tool deflection and breakage.

The machine hereinbefore described is arranged for manual operation or for connection to an external source of power of any suitable kind. The driving connections and connections between the feed pinions and rack bars are in centralized relationship to the movable boring unit, giving even distribution of the weight and the thrust from the auger. This avoids any tendency of theboring unit to tilt or go out of line in the traokway carriage and permits free rolling movelongitudinally of the base under control of the feeding means. The auger is so constructed that in boring operations it assists in leading themachine and its clearance with relation to the sleeve guide is only that'found necessary for free rotational movement therein. In actual boring operations, it is found that the boring units of thetype described and those which are motorized can be progressed with only a small finger pressure applied to the hand crank. This enables'an operator to practically feel ground conditions and his progress and other obstructions.

In Figs; 6 and '7, there is illustrated a machine of modified form having increased mechanical advantage and modified cooperating base structures. The channel traokway of the modified form corresponds with that previously described with the important differentiation that the web portion channel between the inwardly directed flanges has welded thereto in reversed spaced relation longitudinally extending upper and lower angle mem ers 12 and I3. The angle members are so positioned within the channels with bases welded to the channel as to present spaced inwardly directed flanges 15 and 1% defining a relatively narrow slot or traokway adapted to slidably receive and support the boring unit 11. I V

The boring unit 11 includes a supporting fabricated frame preferably of welded construction.

ion shaft structural units.

ing unit along the base.

Bearing housings 85 and 86 mounted in alignment n the end channels hereinafter described.

'I'he'boring unit is arranged for driving connection with a flexible shaft 99 from a suitable source of power. Power transmission from the flexible shaft to the boring tool shaft includes shaft 5! mounted in spaced bearings 92 at the Wheel H3 or speed up drive by hand Wheel H ably supported in angle members of sprocket chain I23 for for rotating the shaft. An auxiliary the pinion shaft is provided t mounted on shaft H5, rotatthe frame.

sprockets trained over sprockets IZI and bearings H 6 fixed to upright Shaft H5 extends H1 and the small chain I04. Sprocket H1-|20 and ma afford driving connections between shaft H5 and the pinion shaft.

sensitive control progressed during nection with pre been used are wor limitation and that of th While the invention has that th invention in all of its aspects.

This application is a co application my copending August 20, 1937 I claim:

hanism is so the boring been described in conferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that th ntinuation-in-part of Serial No. 160,162, filed along their upper flanges, a boring unit arranged for longitudinal movement between said channel members, interengaging means on the inner web portions of the channels and on the boring unit adapted to slidably support the boring unit for straight line movement in said base support, a pinion shaft journaled on said boring unit and having its ends overlying said racks, pinions fixed to ends of the shaft and arranged for engagement with said racks to effect movement of the boring unit in the base, manually operable means including a low ratio chain and sprocket reduction gear for rotating the pinion shaft to effect relatively quick movement of the boring unit along the base under conditions affording small resistance, and separate manually operable feed means of greater mechanical advantage including a worm and worm gear of relatively high ratio for moving the boring unit along the base support under conditions affording high resistance.

2. In a boring machine of the character described, a base support comprising spaced parallel channel irons with inwardly directed flanges each channel having a pinion rack along the upper flange thereof and a flange trackway along the web portion thereof for supporting and guiding a boring unit, a boring unit having a base portion with outwardly directed supporting flange members slidably engaged in the trackways of the base support to permit movement of said unit longitudinally of the base support, a pinion shaft journaled on the boring unit transversely thereof with ends overlying said pinion racks, pinions on said shaft engaging said racks, manually operable means including a hand crank and low ratio chain and sprocket gearing for rotating said pinionshaft and pinions, separate manually operable means including a hand crank and high ratio worm and gear drive for rotating the pinion shaft, and a manually operated clutch for connecting and disconnecting said worm and gear drive with the pinion shaft.

3. In a machine of the character described, a base support of spaced parallel channel members, an auger guide detachably mounted transversely of the channel members at one end of the base support and having a centrally disposed guide sleeve a portion of which is pivotally mounted to permit removal of the guide from a boring tool, a boring unit constructed and arranged for detachable driving connection with an auger extending through said guide and having a base arranged for longitudinal movement between said channel members, interengaging supporting guides comprising standard angle members fixed on the base support and boring unit providing "straight line sliding movement of the boring unit in the base support, and manually operable feeding mechanism including rack and pinion connections between said base support and boring unit and selective manually operable reduction gearing having different gear ratios for rotating said pinions to effect feeding movement of the boring unit relative to the base support.

4. In a machine of the character described, a supporting base of spaced parallel channel members having pinion engaging racks along their upper flanges, a boring unit having a base arranged for longitudinal movement between said channel members, interengaging longitudinally extending supporting angle members welded respectively along the sides of the boring unit base and web portions of the channel member adapted to provide sliding movement of the boring unit longitudinally of the base, manually operable means on the boring unit including selective reduction gearing and driven pinions meshing with said racks for feeding the boring unit in a straight line along said base, said racks and pinions and said guides cooperating to maintain alignment of the boring unit in the base in all operations, said selective gearing comprising alternating usable worm gear and worm drive of low ratio and a sprocket and chain guide of higher ratio.

5. In a machine of the character described, a supporting base of spaced parallel channel members having pinion engaging racks along their upper flanges, a boring unit having a base and boring tool arranged for longitudinal movement between said channel members, interengaging supporting flanges on the boring unit base and web portions of the channel members adapted to provide sliding movement of the boring unit longitudinally of the base, a detachable guide at one end of the base for guiding the boring tool, said guide having a central split tool guide sleeve and pivotally mounted means for opening the sleeve for detachable association with the tool, manually operable means mounted in the boring unit including selective gearing of different ratio and driven pinions meshing with said racks for feeding the boring unit in a straight line along said base, said racks and pinions and said flanges cooperating to maintain alignment of the boring unit in the base in all operations.

6. In a machine of the character described, a supporting base of spaced parallel channel members having pinion engaging racks along their upper flanges, a boring unit having a base and boring tool arranged for longitudinal movement between said channel members, interengaging supporting flanges on the boring unit base and web portions of the channel members adapted to provide sliding movement of the boring unit longitudinally of the base, said boring unit comprising an upright frame, a boring tool drive shaft journaled on the unit base, a parallel intermediate shaft journaled on said frame intermediate its bottom and top, a power drive shaft journaled on the top of the frame arranged for connection with a source of power, a chain and sprocket reduction gear between the power drive shaft and the intermediate shaft and a separate chain and sprocket reduction between the intermediate shaft and the boring tool drive shaft, manually operable means mounted on the boring unit including selective gearing of different ratio and driven pinions meshing with said racks for feeding the boring unit in a straight line along said base, said racks and pinions and said flanges cooperating to maintain alignment of the boring unit in the base in all operations.

'7. In a machine of the character described, a supporting base consisting of spaced parallel channel members having pinion engaging racks along their upper flanges, a boring unit having a base and frame of welded standard structural members arranged for longitudinal movement between said channel members, interengaging means on the boring unit base and supporting base adapted to provide accurate longitudinal movement of the boring unit in the supporting base, said boring unit comprising a plurality of vertically spaced longitudinal supports on said rame, a boring tool drive shaft journaled in spaced hearings on the base of the unit and having at one end thereof a frangible and flexible connection for detachably receiving a boring tool, a power drive shaft journaled on the uppermost horizontal supports on said frame arranged for connection with a source of power, a parallel intermediate shaft journaled on frame supports intermediate said boring tool shaft and said power drive shaft, reduction gearing connecting the power drive shaft and intermediate shaft, re-

duction gearing connecting said intermediate shaft and said boring tool shaft, manually operable means comprising manually selective gearing 'of high and low ratios and driven pinions meshing with said racks for feeding the boring unit in astraight line along said supporting base, said high ratio gearing comprising chain and sprocket-drive and said 10w ratio gearing comprising a worm and gear drive for said pinions.

ALAN JAY PARRISH. 

